7 Great Sauvignon Blancs for Summer

How did popular New Zealand fare?

7 Great Sauvignon Blancs for Summer2010 Omaka Springs Estates Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, 13%Pretty and perfumed with lovely floral and herb notes over a core of crisp gooseberry, melon and nectarine fruits. This really glides onto the tongue with a lovely vibrancy, but on a human scale. The fruit is juicy, fresh and bright recalling the aromas on the nose. The back end is bright, vibrant and transparent with a final mineral note entwined with some citrus pith and a lingering mélange of lime and passionfruits. A winner! 90pts

Comments

Marlborough is not the only region producing Sauvignon Blanc in NZ. There are different styles depending on the climate and soils. On the limestone hills around Hawkes Bay for instance the style is more akin to Sancerre with a mineral backbone and gooseberry flavours and lower acids and are a fantastic match with seafood.

Personally, I think the Cellar Selection Sauvignon Blanc from Sileni Estate (based in Hawke's Bay, but the Sauvignon grapes come from vineyards in marlborough) is a real winner ... for the average wine drinker. Well-made, clean and savoury. But what's more, considering it's price it's a steal ! euro 6,95

However, the best Sauvignon's I have tasted come form the ''Old World''. Yes, of course there's the Loire Valley in France. But what really blew my mind were the Sauvignon's from Switzerland (Louis Bovard in Vaud) and norhern Italy (Vie di Romans in Friuli and Tiefenbrunner + Cantina Terlano in Alto Adige)! Try these Sauvignon wines, you will not regret it (only your wallet, maybe, 'cause they do not come cheap).

Thanks for shedding fresh light to a great variety done so very well in so many places with various expressions, but what happened to the Bordeaux examples you mentioned in your intro? Its seems like the hype of red Bordeaux have completely pushed their whites out of the picture. Often blended with Semillon this is by many seriously overlooked wine, awesome drinking, with food none the least, and the best even ages impressively.
If you want to benchmark the current status of NZ SB, how can you leave out the starting point of the variety? Or for that matter the Loire?
Many great places to source your SB´s, but don´t deny yourself to try the mother of them all.. Even if the daughter looks more appealing at first glance.